Wrong Crowd
by KittieMcDowell
Summary: How the Weapon X project acquired Rogue, Nightcrawler, Juggernaut, et al. Romance in the air for Rogue?
1. donovan1

Donovan Milady

Donovan Milady has never run so fast in her entire life.  She keeps looking back, breathing heavily as the mob gains on her.  Taking this as a silent challenge, Donovan sticks out her tongue to taunt the crowd and runs even faster.  She ignores their shouts and curses to quickly analyze her surroundings.

            She is approaching a dead end alley with no way of escaping.  The mob most certainly has various weapons with which to end her life quickly simply for being born.  Donovan's heart is pounding from all the excitement.  She grins devilishly as she remembers the circumstances that led to the chase she's involved in currently.

YESTERDAY:

            "What does the term 'star-crossed lovers' bring to mind?"  Donovan asks Mandy Harper, the girl she's tutoring in English.  She smiles up at Mandy, who is staring down at her textbook in annoyance.  She hates Shakespeare.  She can never understand any of it.  And Donovan is so distracting.  The way she twirls her light brown hair or tugs on one of the six earrings she has in her right ear drives Mandy, who has been crushing on Donovan for nearly six months, mad.  "Mandy?  You gonna answer my question?"

            "Star crossed… right," Mandy mutters.  She runs her fingers through her short blond hair and sighs.  "I don't know.  I'll never understand this!"

            Donovan smiles reassuringly.  "Yes, you will.  Just give yourself a little more credit.  A day ago, you wouldn't have even understood what they were saying.  Now, you know what they're talking about.  We just need to get what they _mean_."

            "Isn't that the same thing?"  Mandy asks.  She pushes her book off the desk to the floor.  It lands with a thud and she makes no move to pick it up again.  She flops herself onto her queen size canopy bed.  The thought of Donovan suddenly joining her there makes her blush furiously and she sits up.  "I'm just gonna fail."

            "You're mom's not paying me ten bucks an hour to let you fail," Donovan says.  She picks up the book and tosses it onto the bed.  "Romeo and Juliet are considered star crossed lovers.  Their relationship seems to be destined to fail from the beginning.  Their families' feud, being torn apart, the apparent suicide of Juliet, and then their actual deaths.  They can only be together in death.  You follow me so far?"

            _The only way I'm gonna get you is in my dreams_, Mandy thinks sadly.  She takes a deep breath.  "So, being star crossed means that fate is messing with your heart?  Making you fall in love with someone you can't have?"  _Gee, that seems familiar._

            "Sort of," Donovan says.  "You're on the right track.  You see…"

            Mandy's mother opens the door to the bedroom suddenly.  The terror on her face is obvious.  She is a short, plump older woman with graying hair and sagging… well, everything.  She looks as though she has just run a marathon and when she opens her mouth to speak, it sounds as though she has.  "Outside… they're killing him!"

            Donovan rushes to the window.  She sees a group of kids beating up on a nerdy young man out on the street.  She clenches her fists.  "Call the police, Mrs. Harper.  I'll go out there and see what I can do to calm those boys down."  She hurries down the stair and outside.

            Mandy stays at her window to watch as her mother picks up the telephone in her room to call the police.  She sees Donovan stride coolly toward the gang and start pulling the kids apart.  Donovan makes it to the center of the gang and begins to talk.  Mandy sighs and watches the girl of her dreams speak, although she can't hear the actual words.

            "What the hell is going on here?" Donovan demands.  She shelters the smaller boy behind her.  The kids are about her age, eighteen, and the boy they were attacking couldn't be older than fifteen.  Her blue eyes flash angrily.  "Who started this?"

            "He did…" one of the braver individuals snarls.  He is a tough looking kid with an ugly tattoo of a bird on his upper arm.  His hair is a mess and there seems to be blood on his knuckles that Donovan is sure she can safely assume does not belong to him.  "He promised us a couple of A papers and didn't follow through.  We paid good money for those.  Now we ain't gonna graduate."

            Donovan glares down at the boy.  "Is that true?"  The boy nods miserably, expecting her to leave him to the gang of boys wanting to kill him.  "Regardless of what he's done, you shouldn't have had him do your work.  It's your own fault you're not graduating."

            "We want our money back," the lead boy insists.  He looks ready to attack Donovan to get at the nerd.  "And compensation for our troubles."

            Donovan gets into the boy's face.  "You will not hurt him any more than you have already.  I don't care what he owes you; it will not be paid for in blood.  You'll get your money.  But the cops are on their way and I'm sure that they won't care what he owes you.  They'll throw your butts into the slammer so fast; your heads'll spin."

            The boy grabs Donovan by the front of the shirt.  He raises his hand to punch Donovan but doesn't get close enough.  His hand freezes when he suddenly notices that he isn't holding an ordinary eighteen-year-old girl.

            The thing he is holding by the front is a mutant, a human born with an x-factor in the genetic make-up.  It's obvious by the fact that Donovan's once perfect tan skin is now a light shade of gray and is tough as granite.  Her blue eyes are a deep shade of red and a pair of very sharp looking canines is visible in her once friendly smile.  A large pair of leathery wings has torn the back of her shirt and a thick tail is whipping dangerously behind her.  The boy is a lot less courageous now.

            "I think you suddenly have more problems to deal with than repeating your senior year, boy," Donovan's once light voice is now all growls.  She pulls the boy's hand off of her shirt.  "Back off."

            The group of boys scatters and the nerd is left paralyzed with fear.  Donovan turns to him.  "Are you all right?'

            "Mutie freak!" he shouts and runs away.  

Donovan shakes her head sadly and looks up.  She sees Mandy staring at her from the window.  Grimacing, she reverts back to her human form and heads back toward the house as the police show up.  They head toward her.  "What happened here?"

"Nothing that hasn't been taken care of, gentlemen.  Thank you for responding so quickly," Donovan says, relieved that they don't know about her mutant ability.  "I just got a bit messy but they won't be here again for a while."

After dealing with the police, Donovan goes inside.  Mrs. Harper fusses over her.  "You poor thing!  Let me see if I can find you a shirt to wear.  I didn't see the fight but I'm glad you weren't hurt!"

"I'm all right, Mrs. Harper.  Just fine," Donovan assures the older woman.  "Let me just finish up my lesson with your daughter and I'll go home to clean up, all right?"

Donovan closes the door to Mandy's room quietly.  She sees that Mandy is holding a softball bat in her hands.  Donovan smiles weakly.  "That won't be necessary, Mandy.  I have no intention of attacking you."

"But I know your secret," Mandy says shakily.  How could she have been in love with this freak?  "I know what you are…"

"Yes, you do," Donovan agrees.  "I'm a mutant.  I can't help that and up until today, I've carefully guarded that secret.  But I couldn't let that kid get pummeled out there and I couldn't let that punk rearrange my face.  I very rarely use my power at all.  And up until today, I was just an ordinary girl to you, helping you pass a few quizzes and maybe getting into a decent college.  Can't we go back to that until I can get out of here?"

Mandy, still holding the bat, slides into her swivel chair.  She stares at Donovan fearfully.  "You're not gonna hurt me?"

"No, ma'am," Donovan replies.  "I'm just gonna teach you Shakespeare."

Mandy manages a smile.  "So, you _are_ gonna hurt me."

Donovan chuckles.  "You can put the bat down.  And I'll answer any questions you might have for me.  I think we're done our lesson today."

Mandy drops the bat.  "How long have you known?"

"Since I was twelve," Donovan says.  "The wings sprouted first.  Then the tail and the gray skin.  I was scared and it hurt a lot.  But then it all went back inside me.  I don't really understand it but I learned to control it. As quickly as possible.  I'm as safe as anyone with a weapon.  As long as I know how to use it and how to use it with care, I am as normal as anyone out there."

Mandy nods.  "That boy you saved was a jerk for running."

"Well, I can't expect all _homo sapiens_ to be as understanding as you are," Donovan replies with a smile.

They sit together in silence.  Mandy stares at Donovan thoughtfully.  _She's still so beautiful.  But now she really won't want me after I freaked like that.  Dammit, why do I have to be so stupid?_

"Are you all right?" Donovan asks.  She sighs deeply.  "Maybe we should finally talk about something else…"

"What do you mean?"  Mandy asks a little too quickly.  She grimaces under Donovan's knowing gaze.  She looks down, ashamed.  "How do you know?"

Donovan takes Mandy's hand gently.  The simple touch makes Mandy's cheeks burn.  She can't make eye contact with Donovan.  "It's not obvious.  You have nothing to worry about.  I just notice little things better than most people do.  Your secret's safe with me."

Mandy breathes a sigh of relief.  She looks down at Donovan's hand.  "Does that mean… you feel the same way?"

Donovan frowns.  "Well… yes.  Not exactly the same way.  I like you quite a bit.  But with the life I have to live, there's no way I can pursue a relationship with anyone.  I can't endanger a person like that.  It would be selfish of me to do that to anyone."

"Oh…" Mandy is obviously disappointed.  She looks down, avoiding Donovan's eyes.  She reaches down and picks up her book, clearing her throat.  "Well, let's get back to the book."


	2. donovan2

"Don't be upset.  Please," Donovan says quietly.  Her usual confidence is gone.  She gazes at Mandy sadly.  "If my life were different, believe me, I'd be singing a different tune.  But you have to understand I'm doing this for you.  For anyone unfortunate enough to have feelings for me.  You'll find a nice, normal girl and live the kinda life you deserve.  I'm a freak of nature."

Mandy meets Donovan's gaze.  "That doesn't matter to me!  Yeah, I was a little taken aback by that, I'll admit that.  But you're still you.  Even if you looked like that twenty-four seven, I'd still have feelings for you.  You're sweet, smart, funny, and beautiful… even in that form, you're gorgeous…  I'd be willing to make it work."

Donovan shakes her head and is about to say something when they hear the door bell ring.  Mandy gets up and heads downstairs.  Donovan follows for lack of anything better to do.  When Mandy opens the door, Donovan tenses up.

At the door is the mob of bullies and a few police officers.  The nerd has teamed up with the bullies and is still saying how the "mutie scum roughed me up hardcore."

"That's her, officer!" the nerd screeched, pointing at Donovan.  Donovan backs away from the accusing finger as though she is disgusted by it.  "She's the one!  She kicked me around and these guys saved me!  She turned into some kinda monster!"

The police officer looks at Donovan briefly.  "Is this true?" he asks simply.

"No, sir.  It's not," Donovan says just as simply.  "I will admit that I am a mutant and that I got involved in a fight with the tough looking young men with you.  But I was told that there was a fight in the street and went to see if I could stop it.  They tried to attack me and I defended myself by frightening them away with my power."

"That ain't true!" the leader of the gang snapped.  "She was mangling this kid and we all ganged up on her and made her stop.  We got away before she did any real damage and then came to get you!"

Donovan sighs in annoyance.  "It's safe to assume that you believe these kids because it's easier to trust a human than a mutant.  Normally, I would come along quietly and hope to get all this straightened out logically but you won't take my word on any of this.  So, with heart-felt regrets, I think I'll have to flee the scene!"

Before anyone can do anything, Donovan changes form.  She plows past the police and the gang, knocking most of them over.  Mandy moves to go after her but freezes when the policeman glares at her.  She watches anxiously as Donovan rounds the corner to another street.

The rest of the day was filled with searches for the mutant menace that was terrorizing teens all over town.  But no one was able to find her.  The police decide that she's already way out of town and give up the search.  Once the search is called off, however, Donovan glides over to the Harper household, making sure to be aware of where any cops could be hiding.  She perches on the window sill and taps the glass gently.

Mandy, who hasn't been able to sleep, rushes to the window.  She opens it hurriedly.  "Donovan!  I never thought I'd see you again!"

"Sh.  Just let me in and I'll explain," Donovan whispers.  She slips into the bedroom and pulls the curtains.  She turns off the light so that her shadow won't be cast against the curtain as she speaks.  "I don't have much time.  I have to get out of here soon."

"You came to see me first?" Mandy's heart is filled.  "I'll go with you.  Just let me grab some things."

Donovan grabs Mandy's arm as she looks for a suitcase.  "I can't take you with me.  It's too dangerous.  I can take on a few humans but not a lot and certainly not any with weapons.  I can't put you at that kind of risk."

Mandy stares at Donovan blankly.  "Then why'd you come here?"

"I just wanted to say good bye.  I'm probably never going to be able to come back here.  And while your life revolves around this town, I won't be able to see you for a long time," Donovan says sadly.  "I want to say good luck on your test and I know you'll graduate.  Just remember what I taught you and you'll be fine."

"This is bull!" Mandy snaps.  "You're going to graduate with honors in June.  You're going to go to Emerson for sound tech or whatever.  You're going to make a million dollars and show this stupid little town that you're someone special!"

Donovan sighs and sinks onto Mandy's bed.  Her added weight tilts the bed slightly and she stands up.  "I was going to do all that.  I'll never be able to do that now.  Maybe I can get my G.E.D. far away from here but I can't re-enroll in school.  My parents don't ever want to see me again.  I went there before this…"

Mandy throws her arms around Donovan.  "You need someone to be with you.  To take care of you.  To love you.  I can do that for you."

"No," Donovan says harshly.  "I won't kill your future.  You have a happy, normal life ahead of you.  I won't be responsible for you losing all the opportunities you'll be offered."

"Then what happens?  You leave and I'll never see you again," Mandy says.  "That's not fair."

Donovan changes back to her human form and Mandy's heart melts.  The anguish in Donovan's face is almost more than Mandy can bear.  She manages to stare into Donovan's pretty eyes and read the feeling there.  Donovan does feel the same way about her.  She feels obligated to protect Mandy from the perils that would accompany any kind of relationship they might share, however, and won't let Mandy make a decision based on their feelings.

"I'll see you again," Donovan's voice is thick with tears she won't shed in front of Mandy.  "When you leave this little town and make something of yourself, I'll be there to congratulate you and love you immensely.  If you'll still have me at that point.  But you have to get out of here before I can see you.  I can never come back."

Mandy touches Donovan's face.  Donovan pulls Mandy into her arms.  "I've had feelings for you since you first sat down in English class two years ago, Mandy Harper.  When you needed help in class this year, I felt as though my chance to get to know the real you had finally come.  You're more than just the silly cheerleading girl  with her head in the clouds…" Mandy smiles a bit at the reference.  She had played an air-headed cheerleading captain in a play earlier that year.  "You're a wonderful, smart, funny girl with a lot of heart.  To love a beast like me takes more courage than you know.  I won't give you up without a fight.  I may have to leave now, but I won't leave you forever.  I promise."

Their lips meet in a kiss neither has felt in their entire lives.  Unknown to each other, this is each of their first kiss.  Mandy's hands go to Donovan's hair and she holds her close.  After what seems like a life time, Donovan pulls away.  "I should get going."

"Stay with me tonight.  The search was called off.  You can leave tomorrow night," Mandy pleads.  "I just wanna know what it's going to be like when I can wake up in your arms for good."

Donovan smiles longingly.  "One night.  Then I have to get out of here, all right?"

"That's all I ask," Mandy blushes a bit.  Donovan waits for Mandy to say what's on her mind.  "Can you sleep in your real form?  Your mutant form.  You seem kind of fake to me like that now."

Donovan grins and changes back.  She rubs Mandy's cheek and takes Mandy to bed for what's to be their first and last time.

EARLIER:  

"Mandy," Mrs. Harper knocks gently on Mandy's bedroom door.  She is wearing a fluffy pink robe and bunny slippers.  "Mandy, I made breakfast for all of us.  Your father stayed home from work so that we can have a nice family day together.  After what happened yesterday, I think we need to be a closer family than we have been lately…"

Mrs. Harper opens the door and freezes.  She stares at the bed where Mandy is sleeping soundly tucked in Donovan's large wing.  Donovan, whose senses are more sensitive in her mutant form, wakes when Mrs. Harper opens the door.  She gasps and gets up, changing form again.  She's wearing a t-shirt of Mandy's.  The one Mandy had worn to bed.  It's torn in the back where Donovan's wings had pushed through.  "Mrs. Harper…"

"How… dare you?" Mrs. Harper demands.  She is sputtering angrily.  She looks down at her daughter, who is waking up and very frightened.  "My baby girl… you've corrupted her with your… mutie… freakish powers!"

"Mom, that's not true at all…" Mandy starts.

"You be quiet!" Mrs. Harper snaps.  She glares at Donovan.  "I'm calling the police.  I was willing to look the other day when you fled my house but I will not tolerate you abusing my daughter," she calls down the stairs.  "Harold!  Call the police!  That mutie's here!"

Donovan gasps and backs toward the window.  She looks at Mandy, a pained look on her face.  "Remember my promise, Mandy," she changes form and drops out the window.

Donovan uses her wings to glide to the floor.  Mr. Harper is at Mandy's window with a shot gun, shooting at Donovan clumsily.  Donovan avoids the bullets easily but is slowed down but a squad car pulling up the street.  She dodges the cops and scrambles in the opposite direction.

"Fly, Donovan!  Get out of here!" Mandy screams from the window.  She is pulled back by her mother.

Donovan takes a deep breath.  Her wings aren't powerful to lift her heavy body off the ground.  Though she doesn't look as though she weighs much at all, her skin is made up of a different substance than most people.  It has the grainy texture of stone and it makes her just as heavy.  She can glide pretty well but she is always pulled to the ground shortly after take off.  She has to be content with running.

Donovan will never be able to explain how the angry mob formed but after running for about twenty minutes, she's being chased by the men and women of her town.  She can see their weapons and the hatred in their eyes.  

The alley Donovan has run down is a dead end.  She sighs and looks around.  There's no way out except to climb the building next to her but it would take too long and the mob will get her before she gets very far.  She turns to face the people.

"Leave her alone!" Mandy suddenly screams.  Donovan watches Mandy rush out of the crowd.  She smiles when Mandy throws her arms around her waist.  "She's never hurt anyone!"

Mandy screams when the bullet hits her.  A man standing in the front aims his pistol better.  "Damn, missed the freak…" he mutters.

Donovan holds Mandy's body in her arms.  She feels the bullets ping off her stone-like skin but doesn't acknowledge them.  Mandy's chest is bleeding profusely.  She is rubbing Donovan's cheek.  "I guess… we'll have to wait a bit longer than we wanted to be together…"

"Don't say that…" Donovan feels tears slide down her face.  Mandy wipes them away.  "I'll get you to a hospital."

Mandy smiles weakly.  "I understand what 'star crossed' means now…"


	3. jennifer1

Jennifer Granger

"She's late…" Wraith snarls.  He glares down at his watch angrily.  "Too late.  Why do we rely on that snot-nosed, teenaged mutie?  She does nothing but lead us around by our ears…"

"Because I have connections and abilities that you have wet dreams about, Colonel," a soft voice says.  Wraith turns to see Jennifer Granger, better known as Boost, walk into the room with an armful of folders.  She has a large smile on her face.  "My mutant power lets me take away or boost up a mutant's ability, making them totally helpless or god-like, with a thought.  I can control an army of mutant for you without breaking a sweat.  That, sir, is why you rely on me."

Wraith clenches his fists.  "You're expendable, soldier."

Jennifer shakes her head.  "Not until you can manufacture my God-given ability, Wraith.  You want my list of recruits or not?"

Wraith snatches the folders from Jennifer, dropping most of them.  He is absolutely furious that he can't control her as he controls the mutants he already has in his possession.  His organization needs her abilities and the fact that she's already suicidal means that they have to give her what she wants, not threaten her life.  "Rogue, Juggernaut, Sabretooth, Nightcrawler… what is this garbage?"

"Codenames for your new field team, laughing boy," Jennifer says.  "Cain Marko, Victor Creed, Kurt Wagner, and Rogue doesn't have a real name.  These are what you'll be referring to them as while training, while beating, while urinating on them for all I care.  They're at your disposal."

"You've already got them?" Wraith asks, genuinely impressed.  "Recruiting" generally takes months of planning and more funds than are usually provided.

"Not yet," Jennifer says.  "I need a hand collecting these specimens.  I need someone with a bit of muscle to do this.  Juggernaut and Sabretooth are big boys."

Wraith nods.  "Fine.  We'll get you a team together…"

Jennifer holds up a hand.  "I've already got my eye on one kid who can help me.  She's a wandering nightmare.  Doesn't speak, doesn't move much… she's killing herself inwardly because not much else can.  She was chased out of town after her girlfriend was murdered right in front of her.  Apparently the bullet was meant for her and the girl took it.  Lousy part is, bullets can't hurt her anyway.  Been acting like that for almost a year."

"How do you plan on breaking her out of her self-imposed funk?" Wraith demands.  "I don't want any mistakes."

"I'm a professional, Wraith.  I don't let my recruits escape," Jennifer narrows her eyes.  "By the way, how is the search for Wolverine going?"

Wraith turns red with rage.  He whirls around and gets ready to attack Jennifer but she's already holding a gun to his head.  "You have a friendly face, Wraith.  Don't make me mess it up."

"Get out of my sight, Granger.  And get those mutants!"

A WEEK LATER:

            Jennifer, dressed in civilian clothing, wanders about New York seemingly aimlessly.  She looks down dark alleys nonchalantly and hums quietly to herself.  She's been searching for Donovan Milady for almost two weeks, reading the tabloids regarding "sightings" of a winged demon gliding over cities, sobbing.  The latest was in New York and Jennifer intends to find the young woman responsible.

            Donovan Milady is asleep in an alley as far away from the street as possible.  She is clutching a t-shirt tight against her chest.  There is blood on it.  It's the t-shirt that Mandy had been wearing the day she was shot.  Her sleep is tormented by nightmares of that day.  She cries out loudly, as though she is reliving the shooting over and over again in her mind.

            Jennifer hears the shout and turns into the alley.  She smiles when she finally finds the beast-like girl sleeping in the shadows.  "Morning, sunshine… wake up and face a brand new day!"

            Donovan jerks awake and leaps to her feet, holding the t-shirt protectively.  She stares at Jennifer menacingly.  "You wouldn't hurt a fly.  You just let the authorities take the man who shot your girlfriend.  And you know what happened then?  They let him go.  Self defense.  He was going after you and she just got in the way.  A terrible, tragic mistake that you'll be paying for all your life."

            Donovan growls viciously.  "How do I know all this, you ask?  I've been tracking you for a while.  I want to offer you my condolences and a solution to the life you lead."

            Jennifer snatches the t-shirt from Donovan's hands.  "This is in the past, honey.  You've got to move upward and onward.  You can help other mutants avoid the pain that you've gone through.  Maybe save other Mandy's."

            Donovan yanks the shirt back and glares at Jennifer.  She sees that the slightly older woman seems very sincere.  She stuffs the shirt into her pocket and nods once.  She'll go with Jennifer to help prevent her pain from ever being inflicted on anyone else.

A MONTH LATER:

            Caldecott County, Mississippi is a pretty little town.  Jennifer parks her black Dodge Ram 350 at a gas station and looks at Donovan, sitting in her human form next to her.  "You okay, kiddo?"

            Donovan shrugs and looks out the window.  She is holding a picture of Rogue in her hand.  She was supposed to be memorizing it for when they approached the girl.  Jennifer sees Mandy's t-shirt hanging from Donovan's belt.  "You're never going to move on if you hold onto that rag all the time, you know."

            Donovan gets out of the van and stalks away.  She knows what her job is and plans on doing it to the best of her ability.  She won't let anyone hurt like she did.  She heads to the gas attendant and holds up the picture.  "Her? Shoot, we ran her outta town a week ago.  The mutie freak tried t' kill Cody Robbins!  What d' ya want with her?"

            Donovan pats the holster at her hip, revealing a very powerful weapon.  She doesn't like the idea of lying to him, but his knowing that she wants to help the run away wouldn't help the situation at all.  The attendant chuckles.  "Huntin' season already, eh?  Well, she's just a young kid.  Can'ta gotten too far.  Check out by the woods an' fields.  Used t' hang out there a lot with the normal kids 'fore she changed."

            Nodding, Donovan heads back to the van.  Jennifer has just finished fueling up the vehicle and was stepping inside.  "What's the word?"

            After a second of silence, Jennifer sighs.  "We have got to work on your people skills.  When someone asks you a question, you generally answer with some kind of verbal response.  Anything?"

            Donovan points out to the woods.  Jennifer shakes her head.  "We're doing good, I guess.  I should have made you pump the gas.  At least I'll open my mouth to do more than cry at night."

            A slight growl makes Jennifer shut up.  Donovan pockets the picture of Rogue and starts to gently stroke the t-shirt.  It's a habit that Donovan often gets into when she gets very nervous, Jennifer's noticed.  She whines a bit when she does.  It gets annoying after she gets into the third hour or so.  Jennifer turns on the radio.  She begins to flip the channels.  "Damn.  Don't these hicks get anything but country stations?"

            Donovan notices a flash of movement from the trees and jumps out of the moving vehicle.  Jennifer stops the van immediately and hurries out to follow the mute girl.  "Hey!  You could  have said stop!  Or slow down.  Or something," she realizes that she's lost sight of her partner.  "Crap."


	4. jennifer 2

Jennifer hears the snapping of branches and twigs from pretty far away after a minute.  She sighs.  Donovan's changed form again.  She begins to run after the sound of the snapping.

            Rogue was always pretty fast but when she hears the loud foot steps behind her, she realizes that she's about to be out run for the first time in her life.  She has been hiding in the woods for the past week, coming out at night to eat from her former neighbors' garbage.  She hasn't been able to bear the idea of leaving her old life behind and now she is finding herself regretting that she stuck around.  Whatever's chasing her sounds big.

            Donovan bursts from the trees into a large field full of tall grass.  She sniffs the air and peers around.  She can smell the younger female scent but can't seem to locate her with the breeze blowing.  She sighs and begins to cautiously sneak around the field.

            Donovan changes form just as she springs on Rogue, who screams and tries to run.  Donovan doesn't let go and Rogue struggles violently.  "Leave me alone!  Let go, Ah nevuh meant t' hurt no one!  Nevuh, evuh!  Ah liked Cody!"

            Donovan presses a finger to her lips.  Rogue sees the gentle expression Donovan's face and relaxes.  This is the first sign of friendship that Rogue has seen in a long time.  She bursts into tears and drops to her knees.

            Jennifer finally catches up to Donovan and Rogue, breathing heavily and clutching at her gun.  Rogue gasps and tries to run again.  "Relax, darling.  We aren't going to hurt you.  We want to offer you a place to go.  This has got to suck.  Watching all your old friends hunt you down, attack you, and hate you for being born different?  Who needs it?  We've got a place that'll turn your life around."

            "Who're you?" Rogue demands.  She notices Donovan's gun for the first time and backs away.  "What do ya want with me?"

            "We want to offer you a place to go.  Didn't we cover that already?" Jennifer rolls her eyes.  "I'm Jennifer Granger and this is my silent partner, Donovan Milady.  We represent the Home Away from Home team, a group of people dedicated to save miserable wretches like you and the dummy over here."

            Donovan glares at Jennifer but nods at Rogue, who looks at her questioningly.  Rogue's eyes won't leave Donovan's gun.  Donovan smiles and shows the chamber to Rogue.  There are no bullets in the gun.  "Ya can make mah life better?"

            "Yes, ma'am," Jennifer replies easily.  She grins.  _Neither of them have a clue!  Hiring a girl who doesn't ask questions was my best plan yet!  Those morons at Weapon X will never know what hit them._

            "How do Ah know y'all are legit?" Rogue asks.  "Y' could be one o' those mutant hatin' groups tryin' t' trick me."

            Jennifer chuckles.  "Donny, show her your power."

            Donovan sighs and steps back.  She changes form and hears her shirt rip even more than it already was when her wings burst from her back.  Rogue screams and starts to run.  Donovan catches her quickly.  A big friendly smile calms Rogue.  "What about you?"

            "You don't wanna know, hon.  It ain't pretty," Jennifer replies.  _The dumb little hick'll be a problem if she realizes that I can take her powers._

             Donovan is smiling warmly at Rogue.  It's her first real smile in almost a month.  She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a stick of beef jerky.  She had swiped it from the gas attendant.  It was the only way she felt she could feel good about treating him courteously after all the stuff he was implying about hurting mutants.  She hands the jerky to Rogue.  "Oh Gawd… thank ya!  Ah haven't eaten much in a week!"

            "Come with us and you'll be well fed, I promise," Jennifer says with a deceiving smile.  She glances at Donovan, who can't take her eyes off Rogue.  _Great, now I've got a love sick puppy dog on my hands instead of a heavy hauling bruiser like she should be.  She's gonna freak when she sees what I have to do with Rogue.  I have to make sure she doesn't find out till it's too late for her to do anything about it._

LATER:

            Jennifer listens to Rogue go on and on about the week before as she drives the van.  She is talking quietly and sadly.  Donovan is sitting in the back with her, listening intently and gently rubbing Rogue's back.

            "Ah was doin' great for so long… had me a boyfriend and a lot of close family.  Mah mama died when Ah was young and mah daddy left 'fore Ah was born.  Lived with mah aunt and uncle on their farm.  Then… Ah had mah first kiss…" she looks a little wistful.  "He went down and Ah knew more about him than he had told me… he was in mah head.  Ah was scared and told my aunt… she called the cops and had 'em try t' arrest me…"

            Donovan feels her own tears start to fall.  Rogue looks up and smiles weakly.  "Mah story, sugah.  Y' ain't s'posed t' cry."

            "Well, Donny's a bit of a crybaby, Rogue," Jennifer replies from the driver's seat.

            "What did you call me?" Rogue asks.  Donovan looks confused as well.  She then gets distracted by Rogue's knee against hers.  She takes a deep breath.

            Jennifer curses under her breath.  "A name we give to the runaways we pick up in this organization.  Once you're registered with us, your name goes on the files officially."

            Rogue smiles.  "Ah kinda like that, actually…"

            "That can be what we call you, then," Jennifer sighs in relief.  _You're a professional for a reason, Boost.  Don't blow it by opening your stupid mouth!_

            Rogue is fast asleep at the airport, using Donovan's lap as a pillow.  Donovan is gently stroking her hair and watching Jennifer buy airline tickets.  She doesn't really care for Jennifer at all.  While she doesn't talk at all, Jennifer talks way too much.  And most of the words from her mouth are cruel and malicious.  There's a secret Jennifer's keeping and Donovan knows it.  She just doesn't think she wants to know what it is specifically.

            "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty," Jennifer says loudly, waking Rogue with a shake.  She grins.  "Here you go, honey.  One first class ticket to the Home Away from Home."

            "One ticket?" Rogue asks.  "Y'all ain't goin' with me?"

            Donovan looks surprised as well.  Jennifer chuckles.  "We've got other arrangements, Rogue.  Other helpless mutants to save.  You'll see a man holding a banner saying 'Rogue' on it.  Follow him to your destiny!"

            Rogue smiles.  "Thank y'all so much.  Ah dunno how t' thank ya enough.  Someday Ah'll repay ya, Ah promise!"

            Jennifer's smile fades quickly, replaced by a somber frown.  "Don't mention it.  It was nice knowing you."

            Donovan hands Rogue a bag with the few possessions they'd been able to attain from Rogue's old house.  Rogue throws her arms around Donovan.  "Thank you especially.  Yer the sweetest person Ah've ever met.  Ah dunno what happened t' make ya so sad but Ah hope someone makes ya as happy as you deserve."

            A tear trails down Donovan's face.  She hugs Rogue tightly.  _I don't know if it's wrong to like someone like this after your death, Mandy.  Maybe it's good of me to move on.  I only wish there was nothing for me to move on from.  I wish you were still alive.  But maybe it's not so bad of me to care about someone else like this…_

Rogue pulls out of Donovan's arms and gazes at her for a second.  "See ya around, Donovan…" Rogue heads to the terminal with her small bag.  She turns to wave one last time and then boards the plane.

            Donovan takes a deep breath.  Jennifer pats her on the shoulder.  "You'll probably never see her again, Donny.  The program is… pretty secretive when it comes to the placement of the mutants.  You can't let yourself get attached by the projects, kid.  Let's go.  Our next assignments in Germany.  The plane leaves in an hour and I want to get dinner before we take off."


	5. interlude

INTERLUDE:

            "Let me go!" Rogue screams as she's thrown in the back of a truck upon arrival.  She kicks at the door when it's shut and locked behind her.  She hears snickering behind her.  She turns to see Colonel John Wraith behind her, holding a tazer.  "Who're you?"

            Wraith laughs cruelly.  "I'm your master now, mutie.  You do as I say and you won't be hurt.  Too badly…"

            Rogue backs away fearfully.  "No… Jennifer said…"

            "Jennifer Granger is one of the best agents we have, Rogue.  She finds lost little mutants like yourself and turns them over to us for… training."

            "Donovan, too?" Rogue asks, feeling as though she is going to be ill.

            Wraith nods.  "Afraid so, kid.  She detaches herself from the recruits so much that she won't even talk to the ones she really doesn't like."

            Rogue sinks to her knees.  "Ah can't believe it… she was so nice."

            Wraith is getting tired of the conversation.  He sticks the tazer to the broken hearted young woman and turns it on.  She screams and goes unconscious.


	6. betrayal1

Betrayal

            Catching the others was just as easy as capturing Rogue.  Kurt was just as trusting as Rogue had been, Cain thought that it was a mercenary recruiting service, and Jennifer had taken Victor's powers and knocked him unconscious.  Donovan had watched and helped with all that she could, though she made it very clear that she didn't approve.  Dealing with Cain and Victor had made Donovan very suspicious and she begins to fear for the mutants she's helped gather.

            "All right, Donny.  Time for you to meet our employers," Jennifer says one day.  She is lighting a cigarette and leaning against the van she had rented for their stint in Canada, where they had found Victor.

            Donovan is sitting far away from the van.  The smell of cigarette smoke makes her nauseous so she makes it a point of barely being near Jennifer while she does it.  She looks glumly up at Jennifer.

            "That's right, you finally get to meet the men who make the world a safer place for mutants," Jennifer says.  _If I hand over this powerhouse of a mutie, they'll pay me a handsome fortune and then I can get out of the recruiting business._  "You think you're up for all the excitement?"

            Donovan shrugs and stands.  _She's up to something.  She's going to be taking me to the same place we've been sending all the others.  Something's not right.  _She takes the cigarette from Jennifer's mouth and stamps it out.

            "Ready to go so soon, eh?" Jennifer asks.  She grins broadly.  "Coolness.  Let's get out of here."

LATER:

            "Colonel Wraith?" Jennifer calls.  "Hey, colonel, where are you?" she and Donovan are in the waiting room.  Wraith is late.  "Hey, if this is getting me back for all the times I was late, good game.  But we have business to attend to!"

            Wraith walks into the room quickly.  He looks at Donovan appreciatively.  He has never seen Jennifer's chosen partner till today.  He flops into a chair.  "This is your powerhouse?"

            Donovan changes form and crosses her arms.  Wraith's eyes widen.  "Impressive.  Flight, strength, and…" he peers down at his folder.  "…hyper sensitive senses?"

            "If she had a healing factor, she'd be your new Wolverine," Jennifer says snidely.  Wraith glares at her.  "She's capable of being much more of a killing machine."

            Donovan looks at Jennifer, horrorstricken.  Wraith just nods.  "You're sure you want to part with her?"

            "For a healthy price, of course," Jennifer says coolly.  She looks at Donovan.  "Sorry, kid.  A gal's got to eat."

            "Double your pay.  And then I never want to see your stinkin' mutie carcass here again," Wraith snarls.  He turns to look at Donovan, who has just jumped to her feet.  "You might as well sit still, darlin'.  You're gonna be here for a long time."

            Donovan charges toward the door, ready to crash through it.  But before she gets that close, she realizes that she's in her human form again.  She looks at Jennifer, who shrugs.  "Sorry.  Business is business.  And in every game, there has to be a loser.  It was fun, Donovan.  Just do what they say and you won't be hurt too bad, all right?"

            Wraith chuckles and takes his tazer from a clip on his belt.  He grabs Donovan by the collar and zaps her on the neck.  Donovan struggles against him but passes out shortly after her attack.

THREE DAYS LATER:

            Donovan opens her eyes and looks around.  She is in a cell that is secured by w light green force shield.  She has a throbbing headache and her stomach is aching from lack of food.  She sees a plate by her feet and is disappointed to see that it's empty.

            "Meal time's once a day.  Y' missed it again today," a soft Southern voice says bitterly.  Donovan sees Rogue sitting a few feet away.  She sits up excitedly.  "Don't act too happy.  Ah ain't so stupid this time.  Ah know what yer all about."

            Donovan is genuinely confused.  _What the… oh.  I helped put her in here… she hates me, I'm sure, for this._

            Rogue is sitting on a cot that had been set up in the cell.  She is a mess with blood stains on her clothes, her hair matted and unwashed, and her face stained with dirt and tears.  But to Donovan, who had spent many a night dreaming of the southern belle, Rogue was an angel.  "How could ya do this t' me?" Rogue asks quietly.  "Ah thought y' cared.  Y' seemed so sad an' lost… but it was all just a trick.

            Donovan stands, shaking her head vehemently.  _Dammit, Mandy, let me speak!  I love you still, no matter what else happens in my life, but I can't spend the rest of my life in silence.  Not when someone else needs me like this!_  "It… I didn't…" Donovan stammers over what should be her first words in almost a year.

            Rogue just looks away.  Donovan feels tears roll down her cheeks.  She growls and tries to change form.  Then, she realizes that she is already in her mutant form.  Usually she has to think about it to change, since her human form is what is most natural for her, but her wings are already folded across her back and her skin is that familiar light gray.  She is confused and suddenly very dizzy.  She falls over.

            "You okay?" Rogue's anger fades quickly as she rushes to Donovan's side.  She helps Donovan sit up.  "They did all sorts of testin' on ya.  Made it so ya can't change back… Ah shoulda said something' but Ah thought ya knew…"

            Donovan feels very ill.  She reaches for Rogue's hand but Rogue doesn't take it.  She Rogue remembers her anger again and stands away from Donovan.  "Y' lied t' me.  Well, Jennifer did, but y' didn't do nothin' t' stop her.  An' that Wraith guy said that y' detach yerself from projects so that y' can do this impersonally or whatever…"

            Growling, Donovan stands again.  She sighs.  _Please, Mandy… please…_

A YEAR AGO:

            Mandy touches Donovan's gray cheek, smiling wonderfully.  "You know what...?"

            "What" Donovan asks, grateful to be with her, loving her.  They are tangled in each other's arms, Donovan's wings and tail holding Mandy even closer to her.  Their lips meet again and Donovan smiles happily.

            "I have a secret, too… Just like yours…" Mandy whispers.  Suddenly Donovan feels a presence in her mind.  _I'm a mutant, too..._

            Donovan's eyes widen.  "You were in my head…"

            _Just think it and I'll hear it,_ Mandy says in Donovan's mind.  _I feel so close to you right now._

            _I know what you mean.  This is wonderful.  Why didn't you tell me?  _Donovan asks.

            Mandy shrugs.  _I was scared to.  Why didn't you tell me you're a mutant?_

            _Because I was scared, _Donovan admits.  _But now we both know something about the other._

            "I want it to always be this way," Mandy says aloud.  "In your arms, in your mind, in your heart."

            "And it always will be…" Donovan says.  "We just have to get through this rough part."

(after that)

Donovan is holding Mandy's dying body in her arms tightly.  _Don't leave me!!  You can't leave me!!_

_            I'm not leaving you.  My mind and heart will always be a part of you, _Mandy tells Donovan.  She feels her own body slipping away.  _I'll live as long as you do, Donovan!_

NOW:

            Donovan has not been able to speak since that day.  She has tried and tried but Mandy's presence has blocked her ability to talk.  She loves Mandy very much and her presence is very soothing but the hindrance it creates has become more than she can handle.  She clenches her fists.  _Mandy, please.  You need to rest in peace and I need to move on.  This girl is in pain because of me.  I need to alleviate that pain._

_            But I love you,_ Mandy's voice is a whisper in Donovan's mind.  This is the first time they've actually spoken since Mandy's death.  _I need to be with you._

            _I love you, too.  But can't you see that this is killing us?_ Donovan asks.  _Please…_

Mandy's voice is very sad.  _I love you… I'll see you again someday…_

Donovan doesn't hold back the sob as she feels Mandy's mind leave her.  She has never felt more alone in her life.  She drops to her knees and buries her face in her hands, crying loudly.

            "Uh, Donovan, ya gotta keep quiet.  The guards'll be down here any second now…" Rogue says softly.  She looks around awkwardly.  "Donovan…"

            "Hey, in there!" one of Wraith's men snaps.  He glares into the cell angrily.  "Shut up or I'll come in there and close your mouth for ya!"

            Donovan looks up, her eyes are blazing red.  She looks down at her hands.  There are claws where her fingernails had once been.  Rather than being completely human looking minus the skin color, wings, and tail, Donovan had been further mutated to have claws, abnormal dexterity, and more power to her wings, adding the ability to fly.  She can feel the power pulsing beneath and though she doesn't like it, she can certainly use it to her advantage.

            The guard gasps and steps back.  Then he realizes that the force shield will keep him safe and he chuckles nervously.  "Sorry, Mason, yer gonna be working here a lot longer than you thought.  Just cool it or you'll be picking up those pointy teeth of your with a dustpan."

            Donovan roars and launches herself at the force shield.  She ignores the violent blast of electricity being sent through her body.  The guard backs up further and Donovan continues her mindless attack.  The lights begin to flicker and the guard aims his rifle.  "I'm warning you, mutie.  Stop what you're doing or face the consequences!"

            "Donovan, stop!" Rogue screams.  There is blood oozing from Donovan's pointed ears.  "You're killing yourself!"

The fluorescent lights above finally sputter and explode.  The force shield fades away.  Donovan stumbles forward and falls at the guard's feet.  Nothing moves at all within the cells, even though all the mutants are free now.  Rogue doesn't dare go to Donovan's side.  The guard sighs in relief when the emergency generators kick in.  Donovan jerks forward outside the cell when the shield of her cell goes back up.

            "Stupid, mutie.  What did you think was gonna happen?" The guard kicks at Donovan's body.  "You kill yourself to free these mindless savages?"

            Wraith storms into the cell block.  "What the hell happened down here?  What happened to Mason?"  he keeps a good distance away from her body.

            "She used her body to cause a lapse in the power system.  Killed herself, though, and nothing got out," the guard says with a laugh.

            Wraith tears the gun from the guard's hands.  He aims it at Donovan quickly.  "You moron!  She ain't dead!"  he fires at Donovan repeatedly.  "Her skin's made out of some kind of rock.  A little electric charge isn't going to do anything to her!"

            Donovan's hand snaps out and grips the guard's leg, breaking it immediately.  He falls to the ground as Donovan stands shakily.  She wavers a bit as she stares at Wraith.  "I want out."


	7. betrayal2

"Of course you do," Wraith says with a grin.  "Why wouldn't you?  Here, you'll be tortured, manipulated, and trained to kill.  You'll even be given brand new memories to replace all the ones that we've tainted with our actions.  When we're done with you, you'll be nothing more than a killing machine.  One designed to eradicate mutants from the earth.  And when you're done with that, you'll be destroyed, like tools that are obsolete!"

            "No more," Donovan snarls.  "You made me a monster but you won't do it to anyone else."

            Wraith turns off the shield generator to Rogue's cell.  He aims his gun at Rogue.  "You will.  Or I'll kill the southern harlot as fast as you can fly at me with those specially designed wings that we have provided for ya."

            Donovan lurches forward and freezes when Wraith starts to pull the trigger.  She growls deeply.  "Get back in there and don't start anything again.  You're a soldier of Weapon X now.  Get used to it."

            Wraith steps back, making sure to keep his gun pointed at Rogue.  Donovan just stands still for a moment, looking dimly at Rogue.  She starts to move toward the cell slowly, barely lifting her feet.  She watches the shield shimmer in front of her.  Wraith grins.  "That's right, slave.  Do as you're told and you'll hurt a lot less."

            "Colonel," the guard groans.  Wraith just shakes his head and walks away.  "Colonel.. MEDIC!!" he is carried away by a group of medics on a stretcher and a new guard replaces him.

            Rogue eases Donovan onto the cot gently.  She rubs Donovan's hair softly.  "You all right?"

            "Headache," Donovan murmurs.

            "How come y' talk all of a sudden?" Rogue asks.

            Donovan sighs.  "Long story.  But believe me, my silence had nothing to do with wanting to distance myself from you," she rolls on her back to look at Rogue.  "I tried to make things right again.  But I'm not very good at this superhero thing."

            Rogue smiles weakly.  "Y' did yer best, sugah.  Ah can't ask for nothing else," she looks around.  "So it was that Jennifer gal who did this t' us?"

            "M'hm," Donovan says with a sneer.  "She told me that this was a place for mutants who had no home to go.  But then the story kept changing depending on who we recruited.  I was suspicious but I had no way of being sure.  Not till she was selling me to these Weapon X monsters."

            "Ah'm sorry Ah didn't trust you," Rogue throws her arms around Donovan.  She lets Donovan rub her hair gently.  Rogue sighs.  "Ah wish there was something we could do t' get outta here."

            "Don't waste your time, kid," a booming voice snaps.  "That Ganger girl got us real bad."

            Donovan looks up and sees Cain Marko sitting in the cell across from them.  She flushes in anger at how she helped trick him into this situation.  He is sharing a cell with Kurt Wagner, who is asleep on the cot.  His thick blue fur is disheveled and he looks as though he's been beaten pretty badly.  She shakes her head and sits up.  "I'm so sorry about this.  I really am.  If I had known…"

            "Y' shoulda figgered it out, kid.  She ain't with no helpin' freaks campaign.  That much was obvious when ya kidnapped me," Victor Creed's deep voice grumbles.  He is prowling about in his cell.  Every so often he bangs a fist against the shield to give it a test.  He won't go through it the way Donovan did but he is getting antsy.  He wants out badly.  _Animal's don't do well in cages_, echoes in his mind.

            "She told me that you're a danger to society unless you get help," Donovan says.  "When we found you after slaughtering that family, I thought she was telling the truth."

            Victor laughs.  "That family was kind enough t' take a hulkin' maniac like me in fer the night.  To repay 'em, I didn't torture 'em too bad."

            "That's awful," Rogue shudders, silently thanking God she hadn't been celled with him.  It had taken four cellmates for the Weapon X engineers to realize that Creed doesn't play well with others.  "Why would ya do that?"

            Victor just laughs again.  He taps the shield one last time and heads over to his cot, where he falls asleep almost instantly.  Cain shakes his head.  "There's a man who can't control his rage.  So, what'd Miss Granger tell ya about me t' make ya wanna drag me here?" 

            "That you needed a place to go to because mutants like you has no one else.  You could be a great community figure if given a little guidance."

            It's Cain's turn to hoot.  He slaps his knee and wakes Kurt in the process.  "Kid, I ain't even a mutant!  My bein' big and tough come from some jewel I found in a temple somewhere.  It don't matter to these X-jerks, though.  They just wanna use what I got t' take out the mutant populace.  Probably'll kill me as soon as they're done."

            "I can't believe I've done this," Donovan whispers.  "I can't believe I went through what I've gone through and still end up some kind of villain."

            Wraith walks down the hall of cells with a large grin on his face.  He stops in front of Victor's cell and turns off the shield.  "Hey, Sabretooth.  I got that Granger girl t' snag ya up for me again.  Didn't even catch no guff for it, neither.  I no you're probably ticked off but I got an offer for ya, that you can't refuse."

            Victor rolls onto his side.  He'd caught Wraith's scent long before the man had even entered the hallway.  "What do ya want?  Speak up 'fore I gut and filet ya."

            "Come on upstairs and I'll fill ya in on a little man with a big man's temper," Wraith says with a grin.

            Victor is on his feet in a flash.  "Wolverine?"

            Wraith nods and leads the large, feral mutant out of the cell.  He pauses before the exit.  "Ya heard of Magneto, right?  Seems a new team of mutants called the X-Men stopped him and his terrorist buddies from takin' over humanity.  If he had won, you'd probably be free pretty soon.  We wouldn't be able to stand up to a world full of angry muties.  Thought ya might be interested…" he laughs raucously as he and Victor leave, the guard following close behind.

            "X-Men, huh?" Cain mutters to himself.  "Sounds kinda familiar.  Wonder why they went and did a thing like that for?"

            "Does it matter?" Rogue asks bitterly.  "If those X-Men had left Magneto alone, we'd be free!  Don't they get it?  Humans and mutants don't mix.  Why the hell would they wanna stop us from gettin' what we deserve?"

            Donovan shakes her head.  "There's got to be a reason.  No one would just let us be stepped all over for no reason."

            "It's an attitude like that that got us all into all this mess," Rogue reminds Donovan gently.  She takes Donovan's hand.  "We just sit here and wait t' be tortured an' executed…"

            "Not if I can help it," a familiar female voice says.  Jennifer, dressed in skintight body armor and a leather jacket sneaks out of the shadows.  She grins and holds up a key card.  "Those Weapon X jerks forgot to take my keys when I was terminated.  Foolish lack of thought on their part, wouldn't ya think?"

            Cain gets up angrily.  He punches the force shield, hoping to get his hand through far enough to ring Jennifer's tiny neck.  Jennifer stands inches from his cell and giggles.  "Not so fast, big boy.  Only someone with extra durable skin, like our dear Miss Milady, can get through these super duper seals.  And even that was pretty painful, wasn't it?"

            Donovan puts a hand next to her ear, where blood is still caked to her gray skin.  She feels a rumble deep within her throat.  "What the hell gives you any right to show your face around here, Boost?"

            "Mason, Mason, Mason… that is what they've decided to call you, right?" Jennifer says sweetly.  "I did what I had to for a bit of cold, hard cash.  But now that I have what I want, I'm going to make things right.  As of right now, you're all free to go."

            "What's the catch?" Rogue demands.

            Jennifer raises an eyebrow.  "Catch?  Rogue, you're so untrusting!" she laughs melodically.  Her face is all business when she's done, however.  "I need your help.  I've got an organization that needs employees.  Mutants of all kinds can work for me, building an economic empire fit to run the world.  No fighting.  Well, when the humans try to take what's rightfully ours, we may need to defend our property, but generally nothing of the sort.  But it involves a lot of covert, hush-hush stuff that I'll need muscle to perform.  You can be the basis of everything I build.  And you won't go without reward.  You'll be the richest mutants in the world!"

            Cain rolls his eyes.  "Y' got one problem, Granger.  I ain't a mutie and I ain't about to go pretendin' I'm one t' make a buck."

            "Then you can stay here and face the Weapon X masterminds, Juggernaut.  Simple as that," Jennifer replies haughtily.

            "I don't believe you," Donovan says coldly.

            Jennifer sighs.  "I liked you better when you didn't talk, Donny.  You were so agreeable.  You helped these guys into this.  You're going to let them rot here now?"

            Donovan takes a deep breath.  _I did do this to all of them.  Maybe if I agreed to join her, she'll let them go anyway._  "What do you propose?"

            "That's the spirit!" Jennifer says gleefully.  She releases the lock on Donovan's cell.  She gasps when Donovan grabs her by the neck and lifts.  Her feet dangle about an inch from the ground.  She kicks violently.  "Let go of me…" she orders in a choked voice.

            "You let us go right now," Donovan roars.  She tightens her grip.

            In a flash, however, Donovan is on the ground in her human form.  Jennifer kicks her in the side.  "Did you forget that I can change you from mutant to human with a thought?  I could also beef you up so that even you can't control your power.  Want me to do that?  That's usually a painful and sometimes messy process but don't you dare doubt that I'll do it if it means getting my way."

            Rogue launches herself at Jennifer.  They tumble to the ground.  Rogue slips her gloves off and reaches for Jennifer's face.  "You leave her alone!  Ah'll get yer power and make ya stop!"

            Rogue's hand touches Jennifer's face and nothing happens.  She curses under her breath.  "Y' stole mah power!"

            Jennifer punches Rogue in the nose.  Blood spurts from Rogue's nose and she falls over.  Donovan, who had stood at this point, helps Rogue to her feet.  "Fine, I'm on your side.  Just let us get out of here."

            "Not so fast, Granger," Wraith's voice booms.  "These mutants are the property of the Weapon X program.  You will not, under any circumstances, be allowed to leave here with any of them," he aims a large gun at Jennifer.  "And your power won't affect me, being human and all."

            Jennifer glares at Wraith and crosses her arms.  "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have any of them.  I'm here to take what's rightfully mine."

            _If I can get them while they're fighting, I can get us all out of here.  Set things right,_ Donovan thinks.  She gives Rogue a gentle hug and throws herself at Wraith.  In his shock, he loses his grip on his gun.  She aims it at his head as she stands again.  "Don't move, dirt bag.  I'll blow your head off!"

            "Nice shot, Donny!" Jennifer exclaims.  She is rewarded for her exclamation by a warning shot slightly to the right of Wraith's head.  "Whoa, didn't know you had it in you!"

            "Shut up or I'll kill you first!" Donovan snaps.  "Unlock Cain and Kurt.  Now!"

            Jennifer has never once been told what to do.  She clenches her teeth against a biting remark and does as she's told, though.  Cain and Kurt rush out of the cell.  Cain grabs Wraith and yanks him up off the floor.  "Not feelin' so tough now, are ya, Colonel?"

            "How do I get us out of here?" Donovan demands, looking at Wraith.  "Tell me?"

            Wraith chuckles.  "That, my suicidal friend, is for me to know, and you dying to find out!" he reaches into his belt and pulls out a small grenade.  "Nighty-night, mutie scum!"

            Donovan realizes too late that Wraith is setting off a smoke bomb.  She begins to cough and feels overwhelmingly dizzy.  "Damn… Wraith…" she falls unconscious.

            The others fall as well, including Jennifer and Wraith.  When the soldiers of the Weapon X project find them, they return all but Wraith, Jennifer, and Donovan to their cells.  Wraith recovers in his quarters while Donovan and Jennifer are kept in cells separated from the others'.


	8. team work

Team Work

            Jennifer wakes first.  She looks down at the large restraints holding her hands in front of her.  They are bulky and cover her hands completely.  She sighs and looks over at Donovan, who is still asleep nearby.  She doesn't want to face the young woman when she wakes.  Though their powers are apparently negated by the shackles they wear, Donovan has proven to be a very formidable opponent.

            Donovan jerks as her eyes open.  She starts to stand but falls over, slipping on the restraints.  She groans but tries again.  Finally, she manages to stand and glares at Jennifer.  "Where are we?"

            "The Weapon X facility, I'm assuming," Jennifer responds.  "I have no idea why we're still alive, though."

            "What the hell were you thinking?" Donovan snaps.  She sinks to the cot provided angrily.  "We're all going to die.  Those mutants, the ones that haven't been captured… everyone with the x-gene in their body is going to be destroyed because you wanted to make a buck!"

            Jennifer frowns.  "That's not true!  You'll never understand!"

            "Understand what, you money-grubbing race traitor!" Donovan shouts.  "You made some lousy choices, Boost, and I think that it's time you paid for them!"

            "What are you going to do?" Jennifer asks snidely.  "We're totally human and totally helpless.  You can't do anything.."

            Jennifer is interrupted when Donovan hits her as hard as she can in the face with her restraints.  Jennifer falls and Donovan kneels above her, snarling.  She raises her manacles again to hit her.  "Damn, you got violent when you found your voice.  Whatever was keeping you quiet was keeping you human…"

            Donovan freezes.  She does realize that she's been very brutal since she worked Mandy out of her mind.  She backs away, quiet.  Jennifer stands and spits blood from her mouth.  "Don't get me wrong, you're interesting with a mind of your own now, but you think you can calm down long enough for us to figure out how to get out of here?"

            "Why should I trust you?" Donovan mutters. 

            "What other choice do you have?" Jennifer points out.  "You're stuck in a cell as far away from the only girl you've even thought of pursuing anything with since Mandy's death.  Let's get out of here and then we can rescue the girl of your dreams, how's that sound?"

            _Rogue_… Donovan sighs.  It is true that Donovan has been harboring feelings for the Southern beauty but there could be nothing of it.  Donovan still mourns Mandy's death and there is no guarantee that Rogue would even be interested.  Especially after all that's just transpired.  Wraith has probably told them that she and Jennifer escaped together in all the confusion.  "One thing at a time.  How do we get out?"

            Jennifer smiles.  "There we go, isn't that better?  Thinking with our heads instead of our blood lust is generally far more productive, don't you think?"

            "Shut up," Donovan says.  She is sick of Jennifer's banter.  "Tell me what you have in mind or the deal's off."

            "Fine, fine," Jennifer sits on the cot and indicates that Donovan should take a seat next to her.  She takes a deep breath.  "What do you think we should do?"

            Donovan looks at Jennifer, shocked.  "You don't even have a plan?"

            Jennifer shakes her head.  "You killed my plan when you tried to take over.  What were you thinking?"

            "I was thinking that I couldn't trust you!" Donovan exclaims.  "That you were just trying to use me some more!"

            "How can you be so pessimistic?" Jennifer asks.  "You must be great at parties."

            Donovan gets up.  "I was crazy to think that you'd be of any use here."

            "Now hold on a minute," Jennifer stands as well.  "Look, we don't get along.  Fine.  But we work together and get the hell out of here, we can be unstoppable.  What do you say?"

            "I just want out," Donovan says grimly.  "No more of this covert bull.  No more running around collecting freaks for this funny farm.  Just to get out and go my own way."

            Jennifer smiles slyly.  "With a sweet little southerner on your arm, I'm sure."

            "Out.  Period," Donovan grumbles irritably.  "You think of a way out, I'll help you.  But after that, I'm on my own."

            "Deal," Jennifer smiles.  "I'd shake on it but we're obviously a bit tied up at the moment.  Well, then, let's get started!  Just follow my lead.  Lie down."

            Donovan just stares at Jennifer.  "The 'quick, my cellmate's ill' gag?  Please, I'd rather just ask to be let go."

            "Do it.  These guys are stupid.  They'll fall for anything," Jennifer replies.  "Worse case scenario, we're separated and you wouldn't mind that very much."

            Donovan lies down on the ground.  She is mumbling to herself.  "Worse case scenario, we're killed for our stupidity."

            "Guards!  Hey, guys!  Donovan's fallen and she won't get up!  I can't get her to open her eyes!" Jennifer begins to scream.  "I don't think she's breathing!  Oh my God, someone come quick!"

            Donovan tries to hide the smirk that's forming on her face.  _She really is convincing.  Maybe I wasn't blind to believe her for a while_.  She goes limp again when she hears the guards hurry toward the cell.

            "Thank God!  Look, she fell over when she was trying to jump at me.  I don't think she's breathing.  I don't wanna be in a cell with a dead girl!"

            The four guards enter the cell quickly.  One reaches down check Donovan's pulse.  He is knocked unconscious by a sharp blow to the head with Jennifer's restraints.  Donovan jumps to her feet and gives the guard nearest her the same treatment.  

            With two down, the two remaining guards try to salvage the battle.  They draw their guns but Donovan is too fast.  Even without her mutant ability, she'd been a gymnast and martial artist.  She jump kicks the gun out of one's hand while stretching out with her arms to push the other's gun to the floor.  She lands on the ground without making a sound.

            "Well, well, Milady," Jennifer says as she kicks the guns out of the cell.  "I must say I'm impressed!"

            Donovan lowers herself to the ground and shrugs.  "If it impresses you, I'm not interested in ever doing it again."

            "Don't be such a stick in the mud.  That was great and you know it," Jennifer replies.  "Admit it."

            This is the closest to nice Jennifer has been to Donovan since they met.  Jennifer had been relying on her fast tongue and sharp wit to get her way with everyone.  But she knows that Donovan isn't buying any of it anymore.  And the truth is, she genuinely is impressed.  She hadn't known that Donovan had any kind of fighting background.  That would have made Donovan much more useful in Jennifer's eyes.

            "Let's go," Donovan barks.  She and Jennifer back out of the cell and then seal it after they've gotten out all the way.  The two standing guards are shouting to be freed.  "What do we do about these things on our hands?"

            "Wing it," Jennifer said, shrugging.  She chuckles and starts to run.  "Hurry up!  You don't wanna get left behind!"

            Donovan chases after Jennifer.  Her thoughts are on Rogue, who may be thinking that she's just been abandoned again.  She doesn't want to just leave Rogue but what choice does she have?  She has to get out while she has the chance.  She has to find a way out so that she can get back in to save her.

            After running for a good fifteen minutes, winding down dizzying corridors and numerous dead ends, Jennifer begins to slow down.  _Damn.  I've never been down this far into the facility.  But I can't tell Donny that.  She'll kill me!  What to do…_

            A snarl interrupts Jennifer's train of thought.  She looks up and sees a very angry Sabretooth standing in the doorway in front of her.  Donovan bumps into Jennifer.  "What the—"

            "Shut up!" Sabretooth roars before Donovan can finish.  She steps back fearfully, her mind flashing back to the scene she had witnessed upon capturing Sabretooth.  She remembers the brutally torn bodies and the blood caked walls.  She remembers Sabretooth sitting in the middle of the living room, watching television and drinking a beer next to the dismembered father.  She shudders and falls to her knees.  _Dear Lord, I know that maybe I haven't always done right by You.  I even know that acting on my liking girls is a sin but, dear God, if You see it fit to spare me an ugly, terrible murder, I'll try my best to make everything okay.  I can't stop what I feel but maybe I can try not to act on it…_

            Donovan's prayer is stopped by a scream of agony.  She opens her eyes to see that Sabretooth is mauling Jennifer.  He is tearing at her body, howling and swearing.  Before he kills her, however, he just drops her, letting her live to feel the pain.  "That's for gettin' me locked up here again!  For bein' stupid enough ta think that you were above the system!"

            Jennifer moans and looks up at Donovan through bleary eyes.  She's covered in blood so thick that Donovan can't even see her wounds.  She notices that Sabretooth is staring right at her, his lip curled viciously.  She stands suddenly.  _If I'm going to die, I'm not doing it on my knees_, she thinks bravely.

            "Run," Jennifer manages to groan.  She makes an effort to stand.  She falls several times before making it to her knees.  "Get out of… here."

            "Y' think y' could out run me, girl?" Sabretooth demands, laughing.  He reaches out with one of his claws and scratches a thin line from under Donovan's right ear to the corner of her mouth.  She feels blood start to flow.  She winces.  "Y' got guts, kid.  What makes ya think I'll have any problem spillin' em from here t' New York?"

            "If you're going to kill me, do it," Donovan snaps.  She is rewarded by another cut from her chin to her left shoulder.  She doesn't even move.  "Are you scared, Sabretooth?  You can kill a family of humans without a second thought.  Why won't you take me out?"

            Sabretooth just growls and shakes his head.  "You're just a kid.  An' I know that y' think that don't matter t' me but it does.  Y' ain't s'posed ta be involved in any o' thins.  Granger manipulated ya into this whole thing."

            "I was easily manipulated.  I didn't want to do anything for myself.  It was easy to let her talk me into things that I knew were wrong.  That's my fault as it is," Donovan says softly.  She sees the terrible pain Jennifer is and finally loses it.  She drops to her knees and starts to throw up.

            Sabretooth shakes his head again.  He grabs Donovan and backhands her.  She fades out of consciousness slowly, dimly aware that Sabretooth is carrying her somewhere.


	9. the end?

The End?

            Donovan wakes up with a hell of a headache.  She groans and rubs her head, then realizes that she is wearing a long white night gown and lying on a soft queen sized bed.  She feels her face and manages a smile.  _I never thought I'd be so excited to feel that stony texture_.  She traces the thin lines that stand out on her cheek and neck.  _Scars on rock…_

            "Oh, thank God!  You're awake!" a deep voice exclaims.  Donovan looks up and sees a handsome man standing above her.  He has a very big grin on his face and he's holding a tray with a bowl of oatmeal on it.  "I didn't know what kind of food you'd like, so I made something easy.  I can make something else if you want."

            "This is great, thank you," Donovan says gratefully.  Her stomach is growling loudly.  She blushes and takes the tray.  She begins to eat ravenously.  "Thank you so much!"

            "My pleasure.  Name's Warren Worthington III," the man says.  He runs a hand through his light blond hair and smiles again.

            Donovan almost chokes.  "Worthington?  As in Worthington Enterprises?"

            "Yeah.  My dad's business, really, but I'm going to be taking over when he reties soon," Warren says.  "What's your name?"

            "Oh! I'm Donovan Milady," Donovan says.  "Where am I?"

            "My apartment in New York City.  I found you in an alleyway covered in blood and vomit.  First I thought you were the punk that had stolen my wallet but when I looked closer, I saw that you're a mutant.  The guy that took it was human.  Well, he looked human anyway.  Some of us are lucky enough to have that advantage."

            Donovan looks at him intently.  "Some of us..?"

            Warren pulls off the blazer he's wearing, revealing white, feathery wings.  He stretches them out.  "I have these but I can fold them to my back pretty easily."

            Donovan sighs.  "I used to look human.  But now my mutation's permanent.  Thanks to… to…"

            "The punks that beat you up and threw you in that gutter?" Warren supplies helpfully.

            Donovan is confused.  "Is that what happened?"

            "Looked like it.  Did something else happen?" Warren asks.

            Donovan thinks for a long time.  She shakes her head finally.  "I guess not.  I'd remember it if something else did, right?"

            "Not if you've got amnesia," Warren replies.  "I'll call a doctor to have you checked out."

            "Thanks but I don't think that's necessary.  I feel okay and I remember lots of other things about myself.  I'm nineteen and from Boston.  Thrown out when my mutation was discovered and have been living on the streets since.  I just can't remember the last few days," Donovan says.

            Warren smiles.  "Well, you're welcome to stay here with me as long as you'd like.  My girlfriend, Candy Southern, already knows that you're here and is okay with that.  We can always use a roommate," Warren chuckles.

            _Southern?_ Donovan's mind struggles to remember something but it's too far off.  She shakes her head uneasily.  "Thank you so much, Mr. Worthington."

            "Warren, please," Warren corrects her.  He stands up.  "I'll get you some more to eat and then we can discuss what to do with you, all right?"

            "Thank you so much," Donovan repeats gratefully.  She lets Warren take her empty bowl and walk away.  She smiles to herself.  _Whatever I've forgotten, it must have been horrible to be blocked out.  I think I like this better._

            So Donovan decides to stay with Warren for as long as he'll have her there.  She'll figure out what to do with herself as she gets better accustomed to her new situation.

A/N:  How was that?  My first fan fiction!!  If you like it, I have tons more ideas about what to do with Donovan Milady, including other aspects to her mutation that are slightly hinted at throughout the story.  Review and let me know what you think and I'll write more!  Thanks for reading!!


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